Chapter 178: v8c3 - New House of Benevolence and Love
Volume 8 Chapter 3 – New House of Benevolence and Love
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The underground passage down which the girl and the giant, the two members of the Spring of Luoyang, had descended with Jeong-ah was another passage different from the one directly leading to the lowest hall.
“We will assist in guiding you from here.”
Two armed priestesses spoke, bowing politely to Jeong-ah.
“Thank you. Please guide us to where my master, the Eldest Young Master, is.”
As the two armed priestesses substituted an answer with folded palms and began to walk in the lead, Jeong-ah followed them and spoke to Suran and Cheongho-wi.
“This is the headquarters of the House of Benevolence and Love. Unless one belongs to the House of Benevolence and Love, even invited guests must move with a guide in this area.”
“Yes, we will keep it in mind.”
“We will not cause any trouble.”
Since they had no intention of causing trouble in the first place, they could make the promise readily.
However, separately from that, their gazes were fixed on the armed priestesses.
[…Since when did the equipment level of the House of Benevolence and Love’s armed priestesses become so high? It is high-quality goods on par with the warriors of the Sword Family.]
[That is not all. It seems their cultivation stage has also heightened. When I last met the armed priestesses, they were not at that stage.]
[Is this change also due to the Eldest Young Master who ended his seclusion?]
[…There is no other answer but that.]
But their surprise was only just beginning.
“This is the main passage of the headquarters.”
The passage, wide enough to bring to mind a main avenue of Luoyang streets, was a bustling scene with numerous personnel and the handcarts they were pulling.
“What are those……”?
Beyond the personnel, the first thing that caught their eyes was the large boxes stacked on one side of the passage.
Long stacks of boxes piled high along one side of the passage stretched so far that the end could not be seen.
It was an immense amount of goods, both in quantity and in cost.
The laborers were loading those boxes onto handcarts and moving them.
“They are supply goods. They are to be moved from here to each branch of the House of Benevolence and Love.”
Following Yeon So-hyeon’s command, the armed priestesses gave detailed explanations that normally would not have been disclosed to outsiders.
“All of these, by the grace of our leader, the Eldest Young Master, are goods purchased at close to cost price, produced from the large farms and factories directly or indirectly operated by the Sword Family.”
Jeong-ah added to the explanation.
“My master, the Eldest Young Master, plans for the House of Benevolence and Love to directly produce these goods in the future.”
“There are also items that have already entered production. Simple clothing is representative, and we are allowing the poor to weave at their respective homes and receive payment.”
“……”
Suran and Cheongho-wi could not easily find words to say.
The shock was greater for Suran, who had been acting as a solver in the slums since before Cheongho-wi.
The House of Benevolence and Love she knew was an organization that barely operated on the reputation of the Medicine Fairy and faith in her, along with donations from the Eldest Young Master and others.
Once each branch received an allocated budget from the headquarters, it was a system where the branch directors somehow exercised ingenuity with that small budget to barely keep it maintained.
But the House of Benevolence and Love she knew was already gone.
“……Come to think of it, is this passage not an aqueduct?”
Cheongho-wi asked as he looked down at the floor.
In the middle of the avenue-wide passage, there was a long gap running along the corridor, through which the rough sound of water flowing along the lower aqueduct could be heard.
“Yes.”
Cheongho-wi asked the armed priestess who answered.
“In that case, if heavy rain falls in the summer or something and the water rises, won’t this place also be submerged?”
“That will not happen.”
The armed priestess smiled.
“Because not long ago, our House of Benevolence and Love, under the guidance of our leader, the Eldest Young Master, secured a mechanical device that can bypass and control the flow of the aqueduct.”
“That is……”?!
Luoyang’s underground grand aqueduct went beyond simply acting as water supply and sewage, and was a highly important facility to maintain a constant water level in the artificial lakes and grand canals.
For that reason, the control facilities of the underground grand aqueduct were all controlled to an excessive degree by the government.
To think he secured a mechanical device for such an underground grand aqueduct.
“The mechanical device we secured is a backup device secretly made by a past dynasty in preparation for emergencies, and unlike those controlled by the government, it can only control a part of this area.”
“But thanks to that, we have become able to utilize the aqueducts of the headquarters as space without worries.”
No matter how partial it was, how on earth and by what means did the Eldest Young Master get his hands on the backup mechanical device that even the government could not find?
What on earth was the Eldest Young Master trying to turn the House of Benevolence and Love—which was merely a charity organization for relief—into?
The minds of the two members of the Spring of Luoyang grew chaotic.
“W-Wait a moment!”
Suran shouted.
“Luoyang’s underground grand aqueduct is an area more dangerous than the Five Evils! If you expand the territory like this……”!
The armed priestess nodded.
“Correct. The underground grand aqueduct is where all the ‘darkness’ of Luoyang pools. Normally, conflict with that darkness would have been inevitable. However……”
The other armed priestess wore a meaningful smile.
“Because we hold control over the nearby aqueduct.”
“The aqueducts connected to the headquarters from the outside are as good as completely blocked.”
“Ah……”!
The armed priestess pointed ahead.
“Now, let us go. He is handling business just up ahead.”
* * *
One of the large spaces in the headquarters area of the House of Benevolence and Love in the underground grand aqueduct.
The steps of Suran and Cheongho-wi, who entered inside with Jeong-ah under the guidance of the armed priestesses, stopped dead.
“……”
In the wide space constructed with limited lighting to allow the maximum exertion of concentration, children were sitting in rows and columns, engrossed in practicing their cultivation.
Even by rough estimate, there were over a hundred children.
Uncharacteristic of young children, no one caused a commotion or chattered.
And in the midst of that silence, there was someone drawing their attention.
“Focus only on feeling the qi! Originally, the origin of circulating qi and breathing was to align human existence with mother nature, not simply to accumulate internal energy.”
The owner of the clear voice was Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.
“It is not merely focusing on feeling the qi flowing around you. It is becoming a part of mother nature.”
Under his guidance, the children contemplated their inner selves according to the mind law, while simultaneously feeling the external flow.
“……Not simply to accumulate internal energy, but to become a part of mother nature.”
Suddenly, Cheongho-wi’s eyes deepened.
Though it was a teaching for children, it was because he also recalled things he had been missing.
‘The Eldest Young Master’s learning is truly amazing……! The rumors that he showed ability worthy of being called divine power in the Valley of Sin might not be mere nonsense.’
At that moment, Suran was surprised for a reason different from Cheongho-wi’s.
“Are these children all belonging to the House of Benevolence and Love……?”
At her whispered question, the armed priestess also nodded and replied in a small voice.
“Correct. They are children who were born with the talent to feel and manipulate qi, but lost their parents and are cared for by the House of Benevolence and Love.”
“Under the leader’s guidance, we have gathered such children and are instructing them specially.”
“They are children with exceptional faith.”
Swallowing dry saliva, Suran asked.
“Has this also begun recently?”
“Yes.”
“These children are now at the stage of awakening their qi, and instruction for those who can already be called martial artists is being conducted separately.”
Suran realized how the level of the armed priestesses could have improved.
And she was shocked at the same time.
‘The House of Benevolence and Love has now begun to raise military force independently……!’
She looked at the children, numbering over a hundred.
‘Although these children are still young, as time passes in the future……?’
In her mind, a scene appeared where the children in front of her grew up while new children constantly took over to fill the empty spots.
“By any chance……”
At that moment, Cheongho-wi, who gathered his brief realization, asked exceptionally cautiously.
“If the Eldest Young Master is passing down the Sword Family’s martial arts to the House of Benevolence and Love, won’t a big problem arise later?”
At those words, Suran was also startled and looked at the armed priestesses.
“If they find out that their own martial arts are circulating outside, the Sword Family will not stay still, no matter how much the Eldest Young Master did it himself?”
The armed priestesses smiled.
“We thank you for worrying, but that will not happen.”
“The martial arts the leader bestows upon the House of Benevolence and Love are all martial arts with no direct relation to the Sword Family.”
Suran and Cheongho-wi recalled the fact that the Sword Family collected an enormous amount of other sects’ martial arts.
“What if the original owner sect of the martial arts picks a fight……”?
Jeong-ah cut in and replied.
“The martial arts transmitted to the House of Benevolence and Love are all martial arts that my master, the Eldest Young Master, directly created based on Buddhist and Daoist studies.”
The mouths of Suran and Cheongho-wi fell wide open.
“Martial arts……”?
“He created them directly……”?
At that moment, Yeon So-hyeon’s lecture ended.
From a distance, he slightly bowed his head toward Suran and Cheongho-wi.
At that sight, they hurriedly followed suit and bowed their heads deeply.
However, the Eldest Young Master did not come in their direction and turned around to head to the next passage.
“We are sorry to the two of you, but……”
Jeong-ah asked for Suran and Cheongho-wi’s understanding.
“Since the Eldest Young Master has a pile of pre-scheduled schedules, we would be grateful if you could wait just a little longer.”
At those words, the two hurriedly waved their hands.
“No! It is only natural for us, who came suddenly without an appointment, to wait!”
“We can wait as long as needed!”
If they had heard such a story just as they arrived, they would have felt secretly disappointed.
But since they had seen all these sights beforehand, they could not have any complaints.
For the status of the Eldest Young Master within them had already changed greatly from before.
Even if they had to wait for several days at this spot to meet him, he was definitely a figure they had to meet, even if it meant waiting willingly.
“Although the two of you could wait in the reception room or look around the headquarters a bit more, rather than that……”
It was Jeong-ah’s words.
“How about directly watching the Eldest Young Master handle his work from the side?”
The two jumped at those words.
“W-Would that really be alright?”
“Wouldn’t it be a disturbance?”
Jeong-ah shook her head.
“It is fine. Please come this way.”
With the armed priestesses in front, she guided the two.
[Hey, Cheongho-wi! I was right, wasn’t I?! I told you it is a jackpot! The Eldest Young Master was a jackpot!]
[Unbelievable. To think there is a day when your hunch is right in my life.]
At the dull sound, those who were leading the way turned back.
Next to Cheongho-wi, who was hopping while holding his shin, Suran hurriedly waved her hands.
“Hehe, it is nothing. You don’t need to pay attention.”
And then she smacked Cheongho-wi’s back.
“Kid! I told you to watch your step because it is dark!”
“Y-You damn brat……”
Following those who began guiding ahead again, the two exchanged close-range sound transmissions.
[Sister Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord’s words about the Eldest Young Master’s ability were not an exaggeration. Just as Sister said, the reason the Crescent Moon Pavilion grew so rapidly was precisely the Eldest Young Master!]
To her excited sound transmission, Cheongho-wi, who was limping, replied.
[Just by verifying up to this point, I fully know that he is the possessor of terrifying ability.]
[Even if the Eldest Young Master has no intention of joining the Spring of Luoyang, we must establish a cooperative relationship! Cheongho-wi! Never cause trouble!]
[Aren’t you the one who always causes trouble?!]
At that moment, the steps of those who were guiding ahead stopped.
It was in front of an iron door about the height that a person could barely pass through without bowing their head.
“Ahead of this is the Eldest Young Master’s office.”
Hearing those words, the two quickly tidied up their attire.
Once they were fully prepared, Jeong-ah smiled with her eyes.
“Inside, the members of the Tea Fan Maidens will also be present.”
At those words, Suran shouted.
“Tea Fan Maidens?! Do you mean that famous Tea Fan Maidens?! They are meeting with the Eldest Young Master?! I heard rumors that they arrived in Luoyang!”
Cheongho-wi also shouted.
“The Number One Beauty of Sichuan, Sangwan Nan-hwa……”!
It was not just a trick of his mind that the gaze of the armed priestesses looking at him changed to looking at something pathetic.
“A-Ahem.”
Jeong-ah, who had let out a small laugh, spoke to them.
“This is still a secret to the world, but the current representative of the Tea Fan Maidens is the Eldest Young Master.”
“……?!”
At that moment, the door opened slightly, and someone wearing the maid uniform of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment poked her head out.
“Head Maid. Master says you may enter now.”
The armed priestesses waited outside, and only the two moved their feet through the gap of the door following Jeong-ah.
* * *
The space was wider than expected, and perhaps because it was located around the semi-basement of an old town building, sunlight was filtering in through a high window.
Inside, there were already many people.
Standing with their backs to the wall or sitting down, they were focusing on the meeting.
“……Therefore, the migration of Walnut Village residents is proceeding smoothly, and guiding them to the pre-designated village……”
Jeong-ah led Suran and Cheongho-wi through the crowd, and they cautiously passed between people to sit in vacant chairs.
With no one blocking their front and their vision cleared, their gazes naturally directed toward the person sitting at the office desk.
‘Is that person……’
‘Indeed the Eldest Young Master.’
Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon sat with his back to the sunlight, looking over documents as he listened to the report.
His posture was somewhat relaxed, but the gaze he cast over the documents from time to time was sharp.
“……That is all.”
“Good.”
Nodding his head, he set the documents down and directed his gaze toward the guests.
At that gaze, the two adjusted their postures without realizing it and swallowed dry saliva.
“I would be grateful if the guests could wait just a little longer.”
“Yes!”
“Of course.”
As Yeon So-hyeon turned his head, the two simultaneously swallowed a sigh inwardly and looked at each other.
Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.
His appearance was young and his build was ordinary, but the presence he revealed without hesitation was second to none.
“Next.”